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The 2016 Olivier Awards winners announced

Dame Judi Dench made history as she won the Olivier for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'The Winter's Tale' at the Garrick Theatre marking her eighth award – the most Olivier Awards for acting than any other performer.

The Chichester Festival Theatre's production of Gypsy was the big winner of the evening taking home the most awards, including Best Musical Revival and Best Actress for Imelda Staunton and Best Supporting Actress for Lara Pulver.

Kinky Boots won the highly contested award for Best New Musical, with Hangmen winning the award for Best New Play. Long running production The Phantom of the Opera won the Magic Radio Audience Award.

Performances throughout the ceremony included Cyndi Lauper, Michael Ball, and a finale of West End leading ladies including Maria Friedman, Ruthie Henshall and Joanna Riding. The ceremony paid tribute to all of the nominated musicals and revivals with performances by each of the casts. There was also a section showing highlights from each of the Best Play nominees, as well as a look back at the Best Musicals and Plays of the past 40 years.

The awards were streamed live online via YouTube for the first time, and were broadcast in a highlights package on ITV. It was announced that the 41st Laurence Olivier Awards would next year take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 9 April 2017.

The full list of winners is below:

Winners.....

Best ActorKenneth Cranham - The Father at the Wyndham's Theatre

Best ActressDenise Gough - People, Places and Things at the National Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting RoleMark Gatiss – Three Days in the Country at the National

Best Actress in a Supporting RoleJudi Dench – The Winter's Tale at the Garrick Theatre